*Official* England v Zimbabwe

[Rik]

Aggers gets it dead on as usual:

"Johnson can do nothing wrong"

Blignaut caught Johnson bowled Harmison

Quite a good catch so I've herd.

Eh? Teletext have changed it to Anderson as the catcher...:alien8:

Oh well, Anderson can't do anything wrong either...

Maybe next time Aggers

 

[luckyeddie]

Aggers gets it dead on as usual:

"Johnson can do nothing wrong"

Blignaut caught Johnson bowled Harmison

Quite a good catch so I've herd.

Eh? Teletext have changed it to Anderson as the catcher...:alien8:

Oh well, Anderson can't do anything wrong either...

Maybe next time Aggers

Definitely Anderson.

Quick, Blignaut didn't like it. Shut his eyes, turned it to fine leg. Andreson ran round, took a good running catch.

94 all out now - OK, not much from the batters, but this was a fabulous bowling performance by all three seamers. Anderson struggled against the wind, Harmison soooooooo much more accurate now. Really looks as though all the work he's put in is paying off.

 

[luckyeddie]

3 hours.

One of the quickest 'pairs' in test history, I reckon.

Poor Mark Vermeulen.

 

[Rik]

Definitely Anderson.

Quick, Blignaut didn't like it. Shut his eyes, turned it to fine leg. Andreson ran round, took a good running catch.

94 all out now - OK, not much from the batters, but this was a fabulous bowling performance by all three seamers. Anderson struggled against the wind, Harmison soooooooo much more accurate now. Really looks as though all the work he's put in is paying off.

The thing is Johnson and Anderson ripped through the batting, Johnson certianly the star, Harmison got 2 tail-enders, one on the boundary, the other LBW. The LBW...wow, he does bowl full sometimes

 

[luckyeddie]

Give it up, Rik.

The guy's done a lot of work in the last couple of months. Are there a few others you'd like to knock while you're at it?

 

[Rik]

Give it up, Rik.

The guy's done a lot of work in the last couple of months. Are there a few others you'd like to knock while you're at it?

Give up what? He came on and started with a load of rubbish down the leg-side. He got 2 tail-enders so there's nothing to be too excited about. The commentators on the radio are banging on constantly about the fact that they are not sure of him. The fact remains, when Caddick or Hoggard regain fitness England would be hard pressed to leave out Johnson after this performance.

 

[marc71178]

The big question is who's in next, the team sheet says Johnson, but I think Giles is the better option (as he's a permanent member of the side, and needs to be groomed for that spot IMO)

2 fifties in 2 innings - finally showing his ability with the bat!

 

[marc71178]

Re: Oh for hindsight...

Richard Johnson 24 off 14 balls (4x4, 1x6) and 1-1-0-2 on Debut...

Oh yes very clever. Nice to see you gave the same praise to McGrath (whose selection you criticised and continue to now) - as it has been pointed out, Giddins (a bowler with a fairly similar record in County Cricket to Johnson) did a similar sort of thing early in his career, but soon got found out when playing against better sides - IF Johnson starts against South Africa we'll see the true level he's at (as we will with McGrath, the difference being McGrath will start (barring injury), but Johnson is by no means certain to).

 

[marc71178]

Wow, that's got to be one of the fastest 5 Wickets hauls in Test Cricket...or at least maiden 5 Wicket hauls! Johnson gets Streak LBW. 7.4-3-18-5

First 5 wicket haul on debut for England since, erm, Anderson in the First Test!

 

[marc71178]

He is, but he's a better bowler and he's got the chance to prove that this was no fluke in the ODI series.

But is he that much better a bowler - their county records are fairly similar, and Johnson's One Day record is actually pretty ordinary in all honesty - as you've said, he is definitely more suited to the longer game.

 

[marc71178]

Give up what? He came on and started with a load of rubbish down the leg-side. He got 2 tail-enders so there's nothing to be too excited about. The commentators on the radio are banging on constantly about the fact that they are not sure of him. The fact remains, when Caddick or Hoggard regain fitness England would be hard pressed to leave out Johnson after this performance.

You reckon? If all our bowlers are fit, I expect we'll see Anderson for sure, and one of Johnson/Hoggard/Caddick, but the third place is more likely to go to Harmison than either of the 2 that misses out to add a bit of variety to the attack with his extra pace - Johnson is IMO battling Hoggard for a place more than he is Harmison.

 

[Rik]

But is he that much better a bowler - their county records are fairly similar, and Johnson's One Day record is actually pretty ordinary in all honesty - as you've said, he is definitely more suited to the longer game.

I'd much rather see Johnson in the Test side and Kirtley in the ODI side. But it will be interisting to see what he can do. Johnson, dispite his accuracy, was not considered a OD player by Middlesex and also didn't really perform when he was given the chance.

 

[Rik]

You reckon? If all our bowlers are fit, I expect we'll see Anderson for sure, and one of Johnson/Hoggard/Caddick, but the third place is more likely to go to Harmison than either of the 2 that misses out to add a bit of variety to the attack with his extra pace - Johnson is IMO battling Hoggard for a place more than he is Harmison.

Yes but that is only because Fletcher has given Harmison a ticket to play however well he does. I think a better lineup would be Caddick, Hoggard, Anderson and Johnson, as neither Anderson or Johnson are amazingly slow. Also then we would only have one "bang it in" merchant. As Johnson showed today if you try and take the wickets rather than banging it in and waiting for the batsman to edge it then you will get more wickets.

 

[marc71178]

I must admit, his average of about 31 in List A doesn't inspire much, but averages do not tell the whole story, and until he's tried at the International stage, we won't know.

 

[Rik]

Re: Re: Oh for hindsight...

Oh yes very clever.

:P

 

[Rik]

First 5 wicket haul on debut for England since, erm, Anderson in the First Test!

Yup, but only took 8 overs...

 

[marc71178]

Yes but that is only because Fletcher has given Harmison a ticket to play however well he does. I think a better lineup would be Caddick, Hoggard, Anderson and Johnson, as neither Anderson or Johnson are amazingly slow. Also then we would only have one "bang it in" merchant. As Johnson showed today if you try and take the wickets rather than banging it in and waiting for the batsman to edge it then you will get more wickets.

Harmison "only" took 2 wickets, yet he never got much of a chance to bowl at some of the players (he bowled his first over when 5 were already out, and the next one when 7 were out!)

Had he opened the bowling, he may have picked up the top order, but we'll never know.

Also, if you look at that attack, it does leave a very weak batting line-up (who would bat at 8), and when you consider Flintoff's return is imminent, you only need 3 seamers. Caddick to me may not get back in, and if you have the other 3, there's not much variety is there?

 

[Rik]

Harmison "only" took 2 wickets, yet he never got much of a chance to bowl at some of the players (he bowled his first over when 5 were already out, and the next one when 7 were out!)

Had he opened the bowling, he may have picked up the top order, but we'll never know.

Also, if you look at that attack, it does leave a very weak batting line-up (who would bat at 8), and when you consider Flintoff's return is imminent, you only need 3 seamers. Caddick to me may not get back in, and if you have the other 3, there's not much variety is there?

What on earth are you on about Marc? Sorry but really you are going crazy. If you pick Flintoff and Caddick then you have 2 bang it in merchants, then Anderson and Johnson who bowl full and straight and swing it at pace. Add Giles in and Hoggard as a swing bowler and there is a lot of variety. Anyway why pick someone based on his bowling speed when there is someone who is not much slower who's taking more wickets? Admittedly Johnson needs to have a chance against South Africa before we see how well he is, but he can hardly do worse than Harmison when he came across Australia, ie bowling average of 50.

Also you seem to forget bringing Johnson in for Harmison would actually improve the batting...:rolleyes:

 

[luckyeddie]

What on earth are you on about Marc? Sorry but really you are going crazy. If you pick Flintoff and Caddick then you have 2 bang it in merchants, then Anderson and Johnson who bowl full and straight and swing it at pace. Add Giles in and Hoggard as a swing bowler and there is a lot of variety. Anyway why pick someone based on his bowling speed when there is someone who is not much slower who's taking more wickets? Admittedly Johnson needs to have a chance against South Africa before we see how well he is, but he can hardly do worse than Harmison when he came across Australia, ie bowling average of 50.

Also you seem to forget bringing Johnson in for Harmison would actually improve the batting...:rolleyes:

This guy just doesn't listen (or read).

Even Willis, Botham et al were talking today about the work that Harmison has put in over the last few months - and they (not just me and marc) were saying the guy bears absolutely no resemblance to the chap who was falling away in his delivery stride and spraying the ball all over Australia.

And there's a certain chap from the valleys who might well have a say later in the year or next when he's recovered from his cruciate injury.

 

[marc71178]

All I'm saying Rik is that I'm by no means sure that Johnson will be in the Test side come the 1st game with South Africa. Since there are at least 3 certainties for the 5 spaces, and Harmison is the man in possession.